Greek word · G4205

πόρνος

pornos

sexual sinner

In classical Greek, a male prostitute, or a man who uses prostitutes. In Jewish and early Christian Greek it broadened to anyone who practices porneia, meaning sexual relations outside what God's law permits: prostitution, sex before marriage, the forbidden unions of Leviticus 18, and so on.

Appears 10 times in 10 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

πόρνος, -ου, ὁ

[in LXX: Sirach 23:16-18 * ;]

1. a male prostitute (Xen., al.).

2. a fornicator: 1 Corinthians 5:9-11 6:9, Ephesians 5:5, 1 Timothy 1:10, Hebrews 12:15 13:4, Revelation 21:8 22:15.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Hebrews 13:4

Range of meaning

In classical Greek, a male prostitute, or a man who uses prostitutes. In Jewish and early Christian Greek it broadened to anyone who practices porneia, meaning sexual relations outside what God's law permits: prostitution, sex before marriage, the forbidden unions of Leviticus 18, and so on.

Against the English

KJV 'whoremongers' narrows it to men who use prostitutes or run brothels. 'Fornicators' (NASB) suggests sex between unmarried people only. 'Sexually immoral' (BSB, WEB, ESV, NIV) matches the broad range but can sound vague. The standard was concrete: the sexual boundaries of the Torah as Jesus and the apostles taught them.

How it drifted

'Whoremonger' was ordinary in 1611 but now sounds like 'pimp'. 'Fornicator' has taken on a narrower technical sense.

Used elsewhere in the period

Used in Hebrews 12:16 of Esau ('sexually immoral or godless'). Lists of vices in 1 Cor 5:9–11, 6:9, Eph 5:5, 1 Tim 1:10 and Rev 21:8, 22:15. Sirach 23:16–17 describes the 'pornos man' who never tires of sexual sin.

From the study of Revelation 22:15

Range of meaning

Originally a male prostitute or a man who uses prostitutes. In Jewish and Christian Greek it came to mean any person who practises porneia, the general term for sexual activity outside lawful marriage as Jewish law defined it (adultery, prostitution, incest and similar).

Against the English

KJV/YLT "whoremongers" meant "fornicators, men who consort with whores" in 1611, but now sounds like "pimp". "Sexually immoral" (BSB, WEB, ESV, NIV) captures the broader sense, and NASB has "immoral persons".

How it drifted

In modern English, "whoremonger" has narrowed toward someone who trades in prostitutes.

Used elsewhere in the period

Sir 23:17 uses ἄνθρωπος πόρνος for a man given to sexual sin. In the NT: 1 Cor 5:9–11; 6:9; Eph 5:5; Heb 12:16; 13:4; Rev 21:8.

From the study of 1 Corinthians 6:9

Range of meaning

In classical Greek: a male prostitute, or a man who uses prostitutes (related to pernēmi, 'to sell'). In Jewish and Christian Greek it widened to anyone who practises porneia, meaning any sexual relationship forbidden by God's law: prostitution, incest, adultery and other unlawful unions.

Against the English

KJV has 'fornicators'. Today 'fornication' mostly suggests sex between unmarried people, which is too narrow. YLT's 'whoremongers' is too narrow the other way. BSB and WEB have 'sexually immoral', which captures the breadth.

How it drifted

The English 'fornication' narrowed over time to mean sex before marriage. The Greek word never had that narrow sense.

Used elsewhere in the period

Sirach 23:16–18 condemns the 'pornos' man. Paul has already used the word in 1 Cor 5:9–11. In context, the porneia in this letter includes a man living with his father's wife (5:1) and men using prostitutes (6:15–16).

Where it appears

1 Corinthians · 4

  1. 1 Corinthians 5:9 πόρνοις, [the] sexually immoral,

    I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people.

    Here: People who practise porneia, meaning any sexual relationship outside what Jewish law allowed. Coming right after 5:1, this explicitly includes incest with a stepmother. Verse 10 immediately limits the scope: Paul meant such people inside the church, not "the sexually immoral of this world."

  2. 1 Corinthians 5:10 πόρνοις sexually immoral

    I was not including the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.

    Here: People who practise porneia, a broad term for sex outside the bounds Jewish law allowed: prostitution, incest (the case in 5:1), adultery and the like.

  3. 1 Corinthians 5:11 πόρνος sexually immoral

    But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

    Here: A man who practises porneia, meaning any forbidden sexual relationship. In context this includes the incest of 5:1. It is the first and lead item because the chapter is about that case.

  4. 1 Corinthians 6:9 πόρνοι [the] sexually immoral

    Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts,

    Here: In Jewish and Christian Greek, anyone who engages in porneia, meaning sexual activity outside what God's law allows. It covers far more than premarital sex. In this letter it includes incest (ch. 5) and sex with prostitutes (6:15–18).

Ephesians · 1

  1. Ephesians 5:5 πόρνος fornicator

    For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person (that is, an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

    Here: Someone who practises πορνεία, sexual intercourse outside what Jewish law allowed: prostitution, adultery, incest and the like. The noun names a person by his habitual practice.

1 Timothy · 1

  1. 1 Timothy 1:10 πόρνοις, for the sexually immoral,

    for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave traders and liars and perjurers, and for anyone else who is averse to sound teaching

    Here: Originally a male prostitute or a man who used prostitutes; in Jewish and Christian Greek it widened to anyone who practises sexual relations outside what God's law allowed. In the list it stands for the commandment against adultery, broadly applied.

Hebrews · 2

  1. Hebrews 12:16 πόρνος fornicator

    See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his birthright.

    Here: Someone who practises forbidden sexual relations. Originally the word meant a male prostitute, but by the first century it covered sexual immorality in general. Whether it describes Esau too, or is a separate warning, is debated (see debates).

  2. Hebrews 13:4 πόρνους [the] sexually immoral

    Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.

    Here: Comes first in its clause for emphasis. In Jewish and Christian use, anyone who engages in sexual relations outside what God's law allows. The word is broader than 'one who uses prostitutes', though that is where it started.

Revelation · 2

  1. Revelation 21:8 πόρνοις to the sexually immoral

    But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”

    Here: "The sexually immoral." It covers illicit sexual acts. In Revelation it also carries the picture of idolatrous unfaithfulness: Jezebel's "immorality" (2:20) and Babylon the prostitute (17:2).

  2. Revelation 22:15 πόρνοι sexually immoral

    But outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

    Here: People who practise porneia, meaning sexual activity outside what the Jewish moral law allowed. In Revelation this is closely tied to idolatry and the "harlot" Babylon (2:20–21; 17:2).

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.